Inking device for printing apparatus



June 1, E. p DRAKE I INKINC DEvlcE FOR PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTORS 6' cur/10004: fl. Am/v, [amma R ORA/r5, 44 26 22;

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m N m T 7 A GOA/M00025 E. P. DRAKE ET AL Filed Feb. 5, 1941 INKINGIDEVIQE FOR PRINTING APPARATUS June 1, 1943.

Patented June 1, 1943 UNITE D STATES OFFICE IN KIN G DEVICE FOR PRINTING APPARATUS Edward'P. Drake and Commodore D.'Ryan;-Los Angeles, Calif., 'assignors to National Postal:

Meter Company, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Applicationlebiluar g ljl, Serial N. 377,420

12 Claims. (01. itis)" This invention'relates to printing apparatus of the general'type in which ink is transferred by means of rollers from an inkwell to a printing face, and is particularly useful in small printing devices such as, for example postage printing invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow of a. preferred'embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, in

which 1 s a plan view of the device; Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken inth plane IIIIII of Fig 2 Fig. 4 is a Vertical section taken in thelplane IV-IV of Fig. 3;

-' merely engages against the uinders'idfof the ink reservoir, and supports it'against downwardrotation about the pin 1. The pin 8- preferably has l its outer end upturned to engage-the outer wall -l 9 of the reservoir l and {prevent the reservoir from sliding outwardly along the supporting pins.

' However, the reservoirmay'be readily removed from thepins by firstrocking it'counter-clock- Wise (with reference to Fig. 2) about the pin 1 to carry it clear of the upturned endof thepin 8, and then pulling the reservoir awayfrom the 7 wall 6 so that the'ferrule 9 slides off the pin 1.

To limit counter cloc'kwise rocking movement of the reservoir to an angle insufficient to permit spillingof'ink from thereservoir, a stopJarm II is provided above the pin 1. This stop arm has a hook shoulder 12 at its outer-end adaptedto engage against a pin'l3 in the rear wall of the ---ink reservoir if attempt ismade to' remove the reservoir while it is rocked'too" far counterclockwise.

To. permit forward and rearward adjustment movement of the reservoir with respect to the frame 2, for .a purpose'to be explained later, the supporting pins land 8 and the stopiarm H are adjustably mounted on ,the ver'tical'plate 6.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, similar to Fig. 4',

showing the apparatus in a different position of 3 8.; Thus the latter pinsproject through 'slots'l5 operation;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the inner assembly of the device, removed from the casing, the direction from whichthe view is taken being indicated by the'arrows VI-VI of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 .is a vertical-section taken in the plane VIIVII of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8 is a schematicsketch illustrating the rocking movement of the inking'rollers.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the 'drawings'the device includes an ink reservoirl detachably mounted on a frame 2, the latter beingadapted to be supported in any suitable mannerflon the frame of the printing machine with which theinking device is to be employed.

The frame 2 comprises a horizontal base-plate 3 having apertures 4 therein for. mounting screws and having stiffening corrugations 5 formed therein. Formed integrally with the plate 3 and extending upwardly therefrom at one edge'is a vertical plate 6 having a pair of pins 1 and 8 extending horizontally'therefrom for supporting the inkreservoir I. The latterhasa ferrule 9 secured to its rear Wall, which engages the pin 1 substantially throughout/its length. The pin 3 Thus they are rigidly secured to a plate which lies against andis positioned on the opposite side ofthe wallli fromthe ink reservoir-and'is slidably. secured against the plate 6 by? the pins 1 and andlli (Fig. 3) in the wall 6 and have flanges I'l formed thereon Which bearagainst the plate 6.

" To facilitate assembly, the slot "I 5 is a keyhole'slot having an enlarged portion 15a at itsright end (with reference to Fig.2) and the slotlfiextends clear tothe right edgeof the plate 6. It -follows that the assembly, including the plate :I 4 andthe pins 7 and 8, may be-removed from the-vertical plate lilby first removing the ink reservoir hand then moving the plate It to theright until the.

shoulder I'lon pin Us in registration with'the large end I So of the keyhole :slot' l5',-whereupon the flange can be passedwthroughthe'keyhole slot andv the Whole assembly removedfrom the verticalplate 5.

' Delicateadjusting movement' of 'the' plate M fore and aft may be accomplished by "rotating a thumbscrew -l 8 --which" i's rotatably supported" in a slotted earl 9 bent outfrom the plate 6 and threadedly engages an ear-20 bent rout from the thereom-which -bears-agairist the 'front'side of theear l9 and has arwasher 22 which is pressed against the other side of the ear by a helical spring 23 compressed between the washer and the head of the thumbscrew. The spring 23 is relatively stiff and provides sufiicient frictional resistance to retain the thumbscrew in any position of rotation to which it is adjusted, and at the same time maintains the ear l9 against the shoulder 2| to eliminate all lost motion of the thumbscrew with respect to the ear IS.

' (Fig..'7) on the cover 29. When in open position the cover 29 extends "substantially vertically.

- When the cover is in open position, slot 32 in the rear edge of the cover receives a lever 33, which will be described later. The cover is yieldably urged toward open position by a torsion spring 34 which is wound around the pin 36 and has one end' bearing against the underside of the cover 29 and the other end hooked over the lever 33, as indicated at 35. The cover is yieldably held closed by frictional engagement of a detent 29a in one flange of the cover, with a hole 21a in the reservoir wall 21.

As has been previously indicated, the front end of the reservoir is open above the short wall.28 and a portion of an inking drum 36 projects through this opening into contact with an inking roller 31 (Fig. 4), which constitutes a part of the printing machine with which the present invention is to be used. The ink may be transferred from the roller 31 to the printing face of the associated printing machine in any well-known manner. The function of the structure of the present invention is to supply ink in desired adjustable quantity to the roller 31. In accordance with well-known. practice, the roller 31 has a resilient surface of absorbent material, such as felt, whereas the drum 36. is of rigid nonporous material, such as metal.

The drum 36 is constructed as shown in Fig. '7 and comprises a cylindrical rim portion 38 formed integrally with a reentrant end wall 39 which terminates in an inner cylindrical hub portion 40 substantially centrally located axially of the drum. The hub portion 40 is provided with a bearing bushing 4| fitted loosely on a reduced portion 42 of a supporting shaftr43, which in turn is supported in a frame consisting of a pair of side plates 44 and 45 interconnected by the shaft 43 and by a pair. of bolts 46 and 41.

Axial movement of the bushing 4| along the shaft 43 is limited by a shoulder48 at the right 6| of the slot 6|] and forward movement of the drum is limited by engagement of an ear 33a onthe lever 33, previously referred to, against a shoulder 62 on the upper end of the arm 55.

However, if the handle 59 is swung rearwarclly,

the drum and the arm 55 swing therewith about v i the a X FQLt fi-n 5L (Figr-5) until the ear 33a on lever 33 .dropsdntoengagement with a second shoulder 63 on the upper end of the arm 55, thereby retaining it in its rear position. The torsion spring 34 constantlyurges the lever 33 clockwise (with respect to Fig. 4) and causes the ear 33a. to engage theshoulder 63, as described. When it is desired to release the drum into operative position against the roller 31, this can be done by simply depressing the rear end of the lever 33 to disengage the ear 33a thereon from the shoulder (53, permitting the spring 53 to advance the drum.

A leather wiper 64 (Fig. 4) is provided to distribute the ink in a uniform layer on the drum 36 as the latter rotates (rotation of the drum 36 being caused by rotation of the roller 31 thereagainst). This leather wiper 64 is supported in a stamped metal frame 65 which in turn is oscillatably supported on the pin 41, previously mentioned (Fig.- 6). The wiper is urged against the drum by a pair of torsionsprings 61 which are wound around the pin 4'! and have their inner drum. The two springs 61 are formed from a single piece of wire, their inner ends 68 forming a continuous loop and their outer ends extending past the frame 65, as shown in Fig. 4, and serve end of the reduced portion and by a spacer I sleeve 49.

which notches engage a, pair of stub pins 5| extending inwardly from the side walls 26 and 21 of the ink reservoir. The stub pins are provided with shoulders 52 which properly center the drum carriage axially Within the ink reservoir.

The drum. 36 is spring urged outwardly into engagement with the roller 3! by a tension spring 53 (Fig; 4) stretchedbetween a pin 54 on the side wall 21 of the ink reservoir and an arm 55 as a stop to prevent upward escape of the leather 64 from the frame 65.

The ink supply in the reservoir can be conveniently replenished through a small opening 13 in the wall 21 (Fig. 2) formed by pressing a lip out of the wall. This opening 13 is slightly below the level of the short front wall 28 (Fig. 4) so that it is impossible to'overfill the reservoir without overflowing the filler opening 13.

Applicants have discovered that the amount of ink supplied to a printing'mechanism from an inking device of the general type herein described, can be adjusted by varying the pressure between the drum 36 and the take-off roller 31. This pressure is adjusted in the present device by shifting theentire reservoir toward or away from the roller, 31 with the adjusting screw [8 (Fig. 1). When the reservoir is moved to the right, the spring 53 (Fig.4) is stretched, increassure between the drum and the roller isreduced.

- An important feature of the present invention is the mounting of the drum 36 by means of the ;.rel-atively short, centrally disposed, loosely fitting bearing 4|; which permits-thegdrum'to;rock to a --substantialwdegree aboutthe'shaft 43, and theresby accommodate itself to any unsymmetrical po- Thus pFig. 8 shows how:

sitioningof the roller 31. the drum ;36 can rock about its axis and-make full transversecontact with the roller 31 even though "the'axis of the latter is substantially out of parallelism withthe shaft 43. This self-aligning feature of the drum; mounting makes it practica-l;

vbleto construct the apparatus by mass production' methods and still obtain a device that is emi- .(Figi-G) andmng pingil is constituted by an excontact with the drum, despite rocking movement -rof the drum of the type illustrated in Fig. 8.

Although for the purpose of explaining the invention a specific embodiment thereof has been; described in substantial detail, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the particular construction shown without departing from the invention, which is to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus of the type described comprising an ink reservoir, a drum dipping into ink in said reservoir and adapted to bear against and frictionally engage a'roller for transfer of ink there-.

to by capillary attraction, a carriage and means rotatably mounting said drum on said carriage,

an oscillatable arm within said reservoir, means detachably connecting said carriage to said arm for oscillation therewith, and spring means urg-- ing said arm in such direction as to move said drum toward said roller.

2. Apparatus of the type described comprising an ink reservoir, a drum dipping into ink in said reservoir and adapted to bear against and frictionally engage a roller externally of the reservoir for transfer of ink to the roller by capillary attraction, a pair of pintles in said reservoir, a carriage rotatably supporting said drum, said carriage having slots for detachably engaging said pintles, an arm in said reservoir fulcrumed on one at least of said pintles, and cooperating pin and slot elements on said arm and carriage eccentrically disposed with respect to said pintles for causing said carriage and arm to rock in unison, and spring means urging said arm in such direction as to move said drum against said roller.

3. Apparatus of the type described comprising an ink reservoir, a drum dipping into ink in said reservoir and adapted to bear against and frictionally engage a roller externally of the reservoir for transfer of ink to the roller by capillary attraction, means supporting said drum from said reservoir for free rotation and for movement with respect to the reservoir toward and away from said roller, spring means interposed between said reservoir and drum for urging the latter toward said roller, said supporting means including a handle extending from said reservoir for manually rocking the drum into inactive position out of engagement with said roller, latch means for latching said drum in inactive position, said latch comprising a lever extending exteriorly of said reservoir, whereby -;the:latch maybe released withoutgopenit ga-said 4;,Apparatns as described ;:in :claim 3, :including a hinged rlidvonsaid'zreservoir, said :lidhaving,

a slot thereingthrougnwhich; said .handle ex tends and havingsside wallsextending down in overlapping V-relation with- :the upper-portions .of thessideswalls offthereservoir; a:;xhinge.-pin

extending :through said side" walls f saidzcover lo-and'reservoirfor hingedly. supp9r ing the :cover .on the'reservoir,:and-said latch lever being-fulcrumedwon :saidzhinge pin.

I ;;Ink-ing apparatus comprisingran inkzreser- 'voir; a :drum" dipping :into ink :in'ssaidrreservoir and adapted .to bear against, and be" rotated by tension or tongueGSa 'o'n t-h member; GSIWhielr -is bent around the pin 4'! into loose fitting rel'a tion-therewith, so that the wiper-holder is free to rock onthe pin .41 and maintain the wiper in full a" roller for transfer of: inkufrom the drum to the roller, means for: rotata'bly'supporting;said "drum: comprising: a; shaft and a 'singlebearing H :saidLjdrumfiligagEgSaidrsh drum and 'being'cent-rally disposedaxiallylofthe drum and-being; looselyfitted":0n said: shaft,

whereby;;said-drum:has-freedom to rock 'in' a plane extending :through the axes of 's'aid-rdrum and, roller, to orient itself in parallel relation to said: rollerza-nd make full contact. therewith fromxendto lend.

,6; tInking apparatus comprising an wink: reser-' voir, and a drum rotatably mounted ,therewithin 130 and. having, a portion project-ing exterior *ofqthe reservoir :into contact-with a roller for;transfer of inktheretoigby capillary attraction, a'supporting plate, a'first pin-projectingfrom said plate, aferrule on said reservoir :engagir gsaid first pin, a-second -pinonsaidplate forrengagingand limiting gravitational rotation in one directionzof said reservoir,,-.the:second pinhaving ashook on r ,7 the outer :end for; normally preventing :outward movement of saidreservoir away from, saidgvplate -10 while permitting such-i movement following rotation of said reservoir about said first pin sufiicient to disengage the reservoir from said hook.

7. Inking apparatus comprising an ink reservoir, a drum dipping into ink in said reservoir and adapted to bear against and frictionally engage a roller for transfer of ink thereto by cap- I illary attraction, means supporting said drum for rotation within said reservoir, comprising a frame including a pair of side plates and pins interconnecting said plates, at least one of said pins being exterior of the periphery of said drum, a drum wiper adapted to bear against the periphery of the drum and wipe excess ink therefrom, said wiper extending the full width of the drum and having a narrow central extension constituting a hinge member loosely, hingedly engaging said one pin and supporting said wiper for rocking movement about said pin, spring means urging said wiper against said drum for contact with the drum throughout the axial length thereof, said hinge member engaging said pin loosely and being substantially shorter than the axial length of the wiper whereby said wiper can contact the drum along its whole length, irrespective of inaccuracy of alignment of said pin with the drum axis,

8. In apparatus of the nature described, in

combination, a support, an ink reservoir, an inking drum, a transfer roller, the surface of said inking drum being in contact with the ink in said reservoir and the surface of said transfer roller whereby said inking drum applies ink to said I transfer roller, means mounting said inking drum on said reservoir for movement relative thereto,

means resiliently urging said inking drum into 7 n dabearina :20 being substantially; shorter laxially: thansaid contact with'said transfer roller, and means mounting said reservoir on said support for movement toward and away from said transfer roller-whereby the contact pressure between said drum and said roller may be varied.

9. In apparatus of the nature described, in

combination, a support, an ink reservoir, an inking drum, a transfer roller, the surface of said inking drum being in contact with the ink in said reservoir and the surface of said transfer roller toward said transfer ro1ler, and manually ad-;

justable means mounting said'reservoir on said support for movement toward and away from said transfer roller whereby the contactpressure betweenrsaid drum said said roller may be-varied.

10. In apparatus of the nature described, in combination, a support, an ink reservoir, an inking drum, a transfer roller, the surface of said inking drum being in contact with ink in said reservoir and the surface of said transfer roller whereby said inking drum applies ink to said transfer roller, a carriage mounting said drum on and for movement with respect to said reservoir, means resiliently urging said carriage toward said transfer roller,.manually adustable means mounting said reservoir on said support for movement toward and away from said transfer roller whereby the contact pressure between said drum and said roller may be varied, and latch means coacting with said carriage adapted to hold said inking drum out of contact with said transfer roller.

11. In an apparatus of the nature described,

. in combination, an ink reservoir, an inking drum,

a transfer roller, the surface of said inking drum 7 being in contact with the ink in said reservoir and the surface of said transfer roller whereby said inking drum applies ink to said transfer roller, a carriage pivotally mounted on said reservoir. means pivotally mounting said inking drum on said carriage, spring means acting between said carriage and reservoir urging said carriage toward and thus said drum into contact with said transfer roller, and manually adjustable means for moving said reservoir toward and away from said transfer roller, whereby as said resevoir is moved toward said roller, the contact pressure between said drum and said roller increases and as said reservoir is moved away from said roller the contact pressure between said roller and said drum decreases.

12. In apparatus of the nature combination an ink. reservoir, an inking drum, a

Wf said inking drum eing in contact with the ink in said reservoir and the surface of said transfer roller whereby said inking drum applies ink to said transfer roller, a carriage pivotally mounted on said reservoir, means pivotally mounting said inking drum on said carriage, spring means acting between said carriage and reservoir urging said carriage toward and thus said drum into contact with said transfer roller, manually adjustable means for moving said reservoir toward and away from said transfer roller, whereby as said reservoir is moved toward said roller, the contact pressure between said drum and said roller increases and as-said. reservoir is moved away from said roller, the contact pressure between said roller and said drum decreases, a lever on said carriage for mov ing said drum out of contact with said transfer roller, and latch means coactingwith said carriage to hold said drum out'of contact with said roller.

EDWARD P. DRAKE. COMMODORE D. RYAN.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,320,698. June 1, 1943.

EDWARD P. DRAKE ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, first column, line 19, claim 9, for the Word said second occurrence, read and; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of September, A. D. 1947.

LESLIE FRAZER,

First Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

